The Fear Factor

The Fear Factor


An anthropologist once questioned an Eskimo shaman about his tribe's belief system.

After putting up with the anthropologist's questions for a while, the shaman finally told him,

"Look. We don't believe. We fear."

('Beyond Coping' - A study guide on Aging, Illness, Death, and Separation prepared by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)



In Buddhism, The Buddha is never afraid to dwell on topics like aging, suffering, illness, disease, death and separation,

Simply because His Teachings brings about a total release from them.

As a matter of fact, He frequently taught that these are useful objects / subjects for contemplation.

That is why, apart from the 10 reasons which I list down in 'Why Buddhism' (http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-buddhism-buddhas-teachings.html),

Another obvious reason why I like about Buddhism/Buddha's Teachings is the Fear Factor.

Many of the religions/faiths etc with, and which emphasize on the belief in a supreme Being/Creator/God, fear the wrath of such a being.

For Buddhism/Buddha's Teachings,

The Buddha says,

"Have no fear";

"Fear not";

"Be fearless";

"Wheresoever fear arises, it arises in the minds of the fool, NOT in that of the Wise man."

and

"From craving springs grief,

From craving springs fear.

For him who is wholly free from craving,

There's no grief,

Much less fear."




"I see that though the notion of God contains sublime moral strands, it also has certain implications that are extremely dangerous to humans as well as to the other beings on this planet.

One major threat to humanity is the blindfold called 'authority' imposed on humans by the concept of God.

All theistic religions consider authority as ultimate and sacred.

It was this danger that the Buddha was pointing at in The Kalama Sutta.

At the moment, human individuality and freedom are seriously threatened by various forms of authorities.

Various 'authorities' have been trying to make 'you' a follower.

On top of all our 'traditional' authorities, a new form of authority has emerged in the name of 'science'.

And lately, the mushrooming new religions and the menace of the Gurus have become live threats to the individual's human freedom and dignity."

- Dr G Dharmasiri

"Shame and fear is there only when one commits evil, does wrong things.

For him who is wholly restrained,

Totally morally upright, and completely self-subdued,

There's no shame;

Much less fear."




"The only thing we should all be afraid of in this world,

Is NOT in death;

Nor in God/Gods, or a Supreme Creator;

BUT in doing wrong/evil."



"Do not follow a life of evil;

Do not live heedlessly;

Do not have false views;

Do not value worldly things.

( In this way, one can be free of suffering.)"

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 167





"A man should live righteously and NOT wrongly.

Such a man is happy in this world and in the next."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 169




"Beings who see fear in what is not to be feared,

And see no fear in the fearsome,

Embrace false views and go to a woeful state."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 317

"In one whose fetters are ended,

ALL fears are overcome."

- Venerable Adhimutta, Theragatha XVI.1

"The craving of the person addicted to careless living

Grows like a creeper.

He jumps from life to life

Like a monkey in the forest looking for fruit."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 334




"The evil done by oneself,

Arising in oneself,

Destroys the foolish one,

Just as a diamond grinds a hard gem."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 161

Honesty and Courage

Honesty and Courage


One of the many grouses my students face is people who shirk responsibility, push blame and play "Tai-chi", denying their mistakes and have a "Not me" attitude. (read "Not Me" http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/04/not-me.html, "Truth/Honesty http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/truth-honesty.html )


On Saturday (21/02/09), I went to a local restaurant for a meal.

The one in-charge of delivering the order mistakenly serve the order to another table who came much later but ordered a similar dish.

When she realised her mistake, she quickly informed the kitchen and rushed my order through.

When she delivered the order to me, she sincerely and profusely apologised for her mistake.

To me, that was very courageous of her cos' it definitely requires courage, apart from humility, to admit, and be honest about one's mistakes.

I assured her it was alright.

Impressed by she and her colleague's working attitude,

That night, I wrote an email to the management of that restaurant, complimenting both of them.

As I said in my email,

"In this age and time when people are denying their mistakes and pushing blame, her honesty was highly commendable."

And it's true.

Think about it :

Who would you trust -

Someone who's full of lies and deceit, and always pushing blame;

Or someone who takes responsibility and is honest?


As The Buddha taught his son Rahula,

"Rahula, there's not a vestige of virtue left in a person who tells lies."

(read "How Buddha Taught Part 3 : Rahula" http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-buddha-taught-part-3-rahula.html)


If a person lies once, they will lie again.

And again.

And there's no telling what they will not do.




"People who do not, cannot and/or refuse to admit to their mistakes; that they are wrong,

Are cowards."





"There is no evil that cannot be done by the liar, who has transgressed the one law (of truthfulness) and who is indifferent to a world beyond."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 176

You Say Monkey or Not, lah?!

You Say Monkey or Not, lah ?!


One day, a highly respected monk, renowned for his psychic abilities and 'compassion' was performing some stunts/psychic feats.

Amongst the crowd watching the performance was Maitreya.

Maitreya cheered and applauded excitedly,

"Wow! Fantastic! Look at that monkey! Look at that monkey! Wow!!"


The monk turned and glared hard at Maitreya.

Although he was visibly angered and annoyed by the words,

He tried to maintain his composure and image.


The monk's followers, disciples, supporters, and the rest of the people in the crowd also glared at Maitreya with great displeasure, disgust and contempt.

Turning to Maitreya, one lady scolded,

"He's not a Monkey! You blind or what?! He's a human! Can't you see he's the renowned monk XX - the Buddha reborn! Stupid Fool!"

"Oh bad kamma, bad kamma ........"

Whispered and muttered the rest of the crowd among themselves, pointing at Maitreya, shaking their heads in mock sympathy.


Maitreya was stupefied.

"Oh! He's not a monkey? He's a human? A Buddha reborn?

Ha! Ha! I didn't know that ........ cos A Buddha is one who seeks and gain Enlightenment so as NEVER to be reborn again. So how can he be "The Buddha" reborn????

Besides, humans don't perform tricks for others' viewing pleasure, and especially monastics definitely won't, too.

Only monkeys will !"


With that, Maitreya coolly turned and walked away........

Away from the crowd ........

Away from this senseless world.




"It is good to see the Noble Ones (Ariyas);

To live with them is always a pleasure;

Not seeing fools is also always a pleasure."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 206

"The foolish man, who on account of false views,

Scorns the teaching of the Arahants, the Noble Ones, and the Righteous,

Produces fruits like the bamboo -

Only for self-destruction."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 164

.

.

"Ignorant worldlings, lacking in knowledge,

Do not know the unique ( and real ) qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha,

And so they are like the blind;

But the wise, having knowledge,

Are like people with sight."

- The Buddha

.

"Are we, or are we not practising correctly in accordance with the teachings of (Buddha) Buddhism?

We shouldn't just do as we see fit.

There is only ONE TEACHING, ONLY ONE BUDDHA -

But nowadays his disciples are following different paths.

It is a great shame and disgrace."

- Ajahn Tate




"It is useless pretending to forget the power of kamma,

Or pretending that one is superior to The Buddha.

One who does so is sure to be cornered by his own foolish pretensions and assumptions."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"The fool can, and will NEVER see what the wise sees."





"A little power soon goes to the head of one who's not used to it."

- The Buddha




"Monks! This holy life is NOT practised for the sake of deceiving the public,

Nor for the sake of gaining their respect,

Nor for the sake of gains, offerings, and fame,

Nor for the sake of defeating other sectarians.

This holy life is lived for the sake of restraint, abandoning, dispassion, and The Cessation of Suffering."

- The Buddha




"He who performs miracles (or psychic/supernatural powers) to gain followers are like tradespeople who employ dancing girls to sell their wares."

- The Buddha




"There is only one real magic -

The magic of The Dhamma;

The teachings that can liberate the mind and put an end to suffering.

Any other magic is like the illusion of a card trick -

It distracts us from the real game -

Our relation to human life, to birth and death, and to Freedom."

- Ajahn Chah




"He who tries to impress others with his knowledge, powers, skills, talents and abilities etc,

Is like a monkey who performs tricks to and for the amusement of others."




"A person who's still subjected to anger, greed and delusion, and have access to unusual/special powers, will only bring harm to himself and others."




"The foolish bhikkhu desires praise for qualities he does not have,

For precedence among bhikkhus,

For authority in the monasteries,

And for veneration from those unrelated to him.

'Let both laymen and bhikkhus think that things are done because of me;

Let them obey me in all matters great and small.' --

Such being the thoughts of the fool,

His greed and pride grows."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 73, 74




"The skill of a fool can only harm him;

It destroys his merit and his wisdom."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 72




"You can have all the visualisation, symbols, powers etc;

But with no real comprehension and realisation of The Dhamma,

You can, and will NEVER be enlighten.

Neither will you have any wisdom,

Nor find Real, True Happiness;

You'll be just like the spoon - NOT knowing the flavour / taste of the soup."




"Those who seek the TRUE path to Enlightenment must NOT expect an easy task,

Nor one made pleasant by offers of honour, respect and devotion."




"He who looks, appears, and/or seems holy,

May NOT actually, exactly, and/or necessarily be Truly holy."




"The duty of a monastic is NOT to perform and/or entertain;

BUT to strive for Release (Nibbana),

So as to help others."

The Basic 10 Precepts which ALL monastics should be keeping :

1) To abstain from hurting / harming and the taking of life.

2) To abstain from taking what is not given.

3) To abstain from unchastity.

4) To abstain from false speech / idle chatter / malicious gossip / harsh speech.

5) To abstain from intoxicants causing heedlessness.

6) To abstain from untimely eating. ( i.e. after 12 noon )

7) To abstain from dancing, singing, music and unseemly shows.

8) To abstain from wearing garlands / jewelleries, smartening with scents, and beautifying with perfumes.

9) To abstain from the use of high and large luxurious chairs, couches and beds.

10) To abstain from accepting gold and silver. ( i.e. money ) .

.

"And then there are certain respected samanas and bramanas who, living on the food offered out of faith are given to watching entertainments that is a stumbling block to the attainment of morality.

And, what are such entertainments?

They are dancing, singing, music, shows, recitations, hand clapping, brass instrucment playing, drum playing, art exhibitions, playing with an iron ball, bamboo raising games, rituals of washing the bones of the dead, elephant / horse / buffalo / bull / goat / sheep / cock / quail fights, fighting with quarter staffs, boxing, wrestling, military tattoos, military reviews, route marches, and troop movements.

'Samana Gotama ( i.e. The Buddha ) abstains from watching entertainments which is a stumbling block to the attainment of morality.'

Bhikkhus! A worldling might praise The Tathagata in this manner."

- The Buddha, Brahmajala Sutta from Digha Nikaya - Majjhima Sila ( Middle Morality ) No. 13

Buddha is ........

Buddha is ........


"The unrivalled Excellent One, the Knower, the Giver,

And the Bringer of the Excellent has expounded the excellent Doctrine.

Truly, in the Buddha is this precious jewel.

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta




" ........ awake."




Have a Happy New Year, Everyone !

May All be awake

And stop 'sleeping' already. ;)


Love,
Maitre-light

The Awakening

霧鎖南洋

曲：藍兆龐　詞：梁立人／木子　唱：孫振福

人世間曾有多少離合悲歡

生命中曾有幾許無奈滄桑

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

朝陽可曾藏心坎

過去的記憶你是否已經遺忘

祖先的流離可曾使你惆悵

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

重重迷霧鎖南洋

望遠方天水茫茫濃

霧中何處是家鄉

向遠方沖過險灘

濃霧散見我新家鄉

過去的記憶世代不可以遺忘

祖先的流離使我生命更堅強

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

重重迷霧鎖南洋

帶希望努力墾荒　帶理想開拓新家鄉

用希望換取希望　用理想創造新理想

充滿信心向前望　不必迷惘

黑暗到了盡頭　就會出現曙光

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

朝陽一出迷霧消

.

* Dedicated to my cat - Kuching :

A brave, strong, courageous, determined and resolute fighter and warrior - my hero.

May The Light of The Buddha's Eternal Wisdom shine on him;

Guide him, bless and protect him always;

Show him the Righteous Way of Life;

May Kuching have the chance to meet with The True Dhamma,

Practise The True Dhamma,

Realise The True Dhamma,

And May Kuching gain the Fruition of Nibbana.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Nibbana is ........

Nibbana is ........



" ........ the unconditioned."




"That Cessation, Passion free, Immortality Supreme.

Through concentration, the tranquil sage of the Sakyas realised :

There is nought comparable with that Dhamma.

Truly, in the Dhamma is this precious jewel.

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta




There are people who say that in order to be enlighten, you must/have to make a vow to be a Buddha.

Or, they keep asking people to make vows to be a Buddha.

If not, they say you can't be enlighten.


There are also people who say Enlightenment is no longer possible.

Yet there are others who say if you're a woman, or belong to a certain category of people, you can't be/attain enlightenment.

People who say that to be enlighten you have to be a Buddha, or make vow to be a Buddha,

Or ask people to make vows to be a Buddha,

Is because they don't want people to be enlighten - To know The Truth,

So that they can continue to be in power, to control and delude others with False Dhamma.

(Read "Why Like That?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-like-that.html )

Why do I say that ?


To be a Buddha takes eons of lifetime of practice and cultivation so as to perfect the 10 paramitas (read "Buddhahood or Arahantship", http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/buddhahood-or-arahantship.html ).


And, as The Great Teacher Buddha Himself said,

"Rare is the appearance of the Buddha."

(Dhammapada verse 182)



Perhaps there may be people who whatever reasons, wants to be a Buddha, despite knowing that they'll have to suffer through eons of lifetime of countless births and rebirths,

That's fine.

BUT, there are also others whose sole concern and primary objective is to get out of suffering/samsara, and never to come back to this worldly life of pain and suffering,

Of birth and rebirth ever again (i.e. they want to be Enlightened) -

Who wants out, who's tired and weary of being born and reborn - of life -

Who saw and realised that Life is suffering.



People who say Enlightenment is no longer possible is because they do NOT know the Truth themselves.

(read "Talk Talk Talk" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/01/talk-talk-talk.html, and "Saving Others" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/saving-others.html)



And, people who say Enlightenment is only for certain category of people, and/or is exclusive only to certain people,

Is because they are conditional, and conditioned by their own fixed, wrong and false views.

(read "Perception and Perspective" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/06/perception-and-perspective.html, and "Just Yoga" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/01/just-yoga.html )



A Buddha, and a true practitioner of the Buddha's Teachings, is one who encourages, and who wants to get, and help, as many people out of the cycle of samsara, as possible.

Important point we have to realise, and remember is :

Just as The Dhamma is for everyone and anyone who truly desires it,

So is Nibbana.



In Nibbana, there's no gender, no status ........

Nothing.


There's really no need to make (any) unnecessary vows, if you don't want to. ( Refer to "Buddhahood or Arahantship" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/buddhahood-or-arahantship.html )

Anyone can be enlighten, even in this lifetime -

So long as we are willing, and we have the humility, the determination, the courage and persistent effort.

So long as we Avoid all evil, Cultivate good, and Purify our minds.



As Ajahn Boowa said in "Straight from the Heart" (page 93-96),

"If you think that because you're a woman, or because you're a layperson, you can't realise Nibbana, that's your own misconception, which is one kind of defilement deceiving you."


"If we can cure defilement, we gain release from suffering.

If we can't, then no matter what our sex or status, we all have to suffer."


"All of us in the 4 groups of the Buddha's following (parisa - i.e. monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen) have the right to realise ourselves and reach Nibbana.

When mindfulness and discernment are complete, women and men can both pass over and beyond - with no question of their having to be ordained.

This is the truth of the Noble Truths,

Which are not particular about status, Nationality or any of the human races,

And which are not particular about the male or the female sex."


In short,

Anyone can be enlighten,

and

Meditation, Dhamma, Nibbana are unconditioned / unconvention / unworldly;

To know the unconditioned / unconvention / unworldly,

You have to be Un-con-di-tio-nal ( i.e. un-con-ven-tio-nal / un-world-ly ).





"It's the mind/heart, not the body ( or form )."





"Because there's always something,

And we are always doing, surrounding and occupying ourselves with something,

We do not know what it is like

When there's NOTHING."

.

.

"Bliss is not 'it' ;

Torture is not 'it' ;

What is 'it' ?

Letting go.

Letting go is ' IT ' ."

.

.

"The only way to get there is through and by Letting Go.

Letting go of what?

Letting go of what we hold dear,

Letting go of what we thought is good;

Letting go of what we feel / perceive is right,

Letting go of what we're protective towards."

Dhamma is ........

Dhamma is ........


"Dhamma is for free,

Dhamma is for you and me,

And Everybody.

In Dhamma there's no secret,

For the gift of Dhamma is Price-less (i.e. Free)."




" (Dhamma ) The Buddha's Path was intended for all who cared and dared to take up the challenge."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"Dhamma belongs to everyone (and anyone) who truly desires it;

The Buddha did not limit the possession of Dhamma to a particular individual.

Everyone (and anyone) who practises in the RIGHT way enjoys the same right of ownership."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun



Dhamma - The Buddha's Teachings, The Truth - is free, is everywhere, is ever-present and is NOT just for the monastics.

Monastics do NOT hold ownership to it.

Also, there's no such thing as secret or special transmission/teaching to anyone or a particular group of individuals. ( Read "Yoga-Yana" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/02/yoga-yana.html )

As The Great Teacher, Buddha Himself said,

"I have taught The Dhamma without an inner or outer version. The Tathagata has NO closed fist with regards to Teachings." ( Digha Nikaya 16 )

In addition,

"Though gaily decked if he should live in peace,

(With passions) subdued, (and senses) controlled,

Certain (of the 4 Paths of Sainthood),

Perfectly pure,

Laying aside the rod (in his relations) towards all living beings,

A Brahmana indeed is he, an ascetic is he,

A Bhikkhu is he." - (Dhammapada verse 142)

.

In other words,

"It's not important what clothes one wears,

So long as one is pure and freed from ignorance."



Even The Great Teacher knows that there are monastics who are ordained in name only - externally :

"Not by a shaven head does an undisciplined man, who utters lies, become a monk.

How can one who is full of desire and greed be a monk?"

- (Dhammapada verse 264)

and

"Many men wearing the yellow robe up to their necks who have an evil disposition and are unrestrained in thought, word and deed,

Are reborn in a woeful state on account of their evil deeds."

(Dhammapada verse 307)

and

"He is not therefore an Ariya (Noble) if he harms living beings;

Through his harmlessness towards all living beings is he called an Ariya (Noble)."

- (Dhammapada verse 270)



So you see, it does NOT mean you shave your head and don on a yellow/saffron robe means you are 'pure' or Noble (Ariyan), and you have ownership to Dhamma

(read "Why can't they?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-cant-they.html ..... and

"Taking Refuge" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/08/taking-refuge.html ) ;

Or, are better at Dhamma practice.

(read "The Guru and His Bowl" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/guru-and-his-bowl.html )

Anyone, and Everyone can have access to Dhamma, not just the monastics - so long as we observe and see 'It'.

(read "Mindfulness or Mindlessness" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/03/mindfulness-or-mindlessness.html)



To further explain what I'm trying to say,

I would like to use excerpts of Ajahn Boowa's teachings from his book, "Straight from the Heart" (page 93-96), which like all his teachings, is available free.

Cos Dhamma is free, and "Should NOT be sold like goods in the marketplace." - (Ajahn Boowa)


Anyone who sells the Dhamma is belittling The Dhamma (read/i.e. : wrong livelihood),

Monastic or not.

(read "The Future"... no. 11 - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/11/future.html)

"The Dhamma is a truth, and everyone's common property.

Whether we are men or women, lay or ordained,

We can all have mindfulness and discernment.

We can all cure our defilements.

When we are willing, any man or woman, any monk or layperson can use any of the methods (prescribed by The Buddha) to cure defilement,

And gain release."

"Women can have mindfulness and discernment just like men, because women and men both have defilements and defilements are cured with mindfulness and discernment - backed by persistent effort - both by men and by women."

"All that's asked is that we strive, because the Dhamma is common to us all.

Women and men, lay and ordained, we can all listen to it, understand it, practise it and cure defilements (with it).

The defilements don't favour men or women.

We All have defilements.

Even monks have defilements :What do you say to that?

( Read "Why can't they?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-cant-they.html )

Monks thus have to cure their own defilements.

If they don't, they lie buried in defilement just like people in general who aren't interested in the Dhamma - or, even worse than people in general."

"The Dhamma thus doesn't stipulate that it's only for those who are ordained.

What is stipulated is that we cure defilement with persistent effort."


"All I ask is that you know this marvellous, extraordinary Dhamma.

Its excellence exists of its own accord,

Without our having to confer titles."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa, "Straight from the Heart, page 93-96. .

.

.

"Dhamma is ........

Sanditthiko (to be seen in the here and now)

Akaliko (timeless)

Ehipassiko (come and practise and see for yourself / inviting verification)

Opanayiko (capable of being entered upon)

Paccatam veditabbo vinnuhiti (to be attained and self-realised only by the wise, each for himself)."

- The Buddha




"The Buddha's Path is a path of Discovery.

- Discover Truth (i.e. The Dhamma);

- Discover Happiness;

- Discover Ourselves, the 'self' ;

- Discover our own Foolishness."

Meditation is .......

Meditation is .......


"That sanctity praised by The Buddha Supreme

Is described as 'concentration without interruption'.

There is nought like that concentration.

Truly in the Dhamma is this precious jewel

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta



Meditation is ........

- To, and for letting go;

- Self-awareness and going inwards i.e. going inwards and be aware of ourselves;

- Stilling the heart / mind;

- Watching and seeing clearly our 'self', our moods, our thoughts, our emotions;

- Understanding and conquering ourselves;

- Clearing our defilements - cleansing and purifying ourselves;

- Realising anicca (impermanence), dukkha (stress, suffering, discontentment),
anatta (non-self, not-self); and

- Gaining Freedom, Release.



Meditation is NOT

- About jhanas;

- About miraculous powers or psychic abilities;

- About wisdom/insight;

- About acquiring.


* Read 1) Meditation - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/09/meditation.html,

2) The Meaning of Yoga - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/10/meaning-of-yoga.html

"Meditation is to, and for letting go.

Physically we're already acquiring,

If spiritually we still want to acquire,

Then we'll never find peace, never find freedom,

And we'll never be Enlighten."
.
.
.

"Meditation is to and for letting go.

Letting go of what?

Letting go of what we thought is good;

Letting go of what we feel/perceive is right;

Letting go of what we are protective towards."

.

.

" The cause of suffering is attachment and love, .........

On the lower level, the stains are the 5 strands of sensuality;

On the higher level, attachment to jhana."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"Because we're always doing something,

Always occupying ourselves with something,

Always surrounding ourselves with things/something,

We do not know what it is like when there's NOTHING."

"Why levitate the body, when you can levitate the mind ?

For levitation of the mind is by far the greater of the two."

"When there's nothing to do, do NOTHING."

"Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma, can turn into defeat,

The victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever-restrained in conduct."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 105

"There is no miracle greater than the miracle of a wicked man transformed." . .
.

"Examine your own heart,

Study and Purify your own mind."



"The wiser a person think they are,

The more stupid they become."




"Those who pride themselves smart are the real stupid and foolish ones."

"What is bhavana (mind development), but watching your own thoughts and moods."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"Observe NOT what others have done or left undone;

Can or cannot do;

Rather, observe what You have done, or not done;

Are doing, or not doing."